Cannes record

[Insidious Von]

Female empowerment.

A film yet to be completed called 355 has gotten a record $25 million distribution offer from Global Road Entertainment and it may not end there. Amazon Studios and Paramount haven't placed their bids yet. The film is a spy thriller with a strong female ensemble cast starring Marion Cotillard, Jessica Chastain, Lupita N'yongo and Penelope Cruz. Jeez that's quite a cavalcade...of talent.

The fifth actress involved is Bingbing Fan, I don't know anything about her.

 

[Insidious Von]

For those that do not recognize Lupita Nyong'o, she won an Oscar for 12 Years a Slave.

 

[Insidious Von]

The push ups challenge has been an ongoing item. Tom Hardy, ever the showman, did it his way. He actually was smoother at it than The Rock!

 

[Insidious Von]

Some of you may be saying $25 million, that's not much. For an independent film it is. Blockbusters are properties of the film companies that make them, independent films are free agents. For example, a film like Dallas Buyers Club may have been left on the shelf if the Agnelli family hadn't backed the project.

Global Road Entertaiment is owned by Donald Tang, majority owner of Tang Media and a partner in Tencent Holdings of Shanghai. He set up GRE as an American company. Jessica Chastain has put her own money into the project, she wanted to make a female version of Ocean's 11. And like George Clooney, she did it to work with her friends. I hope it doesn't bomb like the female Ghostbusters.

The film is directed by Simon Kinberg, who produced both The Martian and Logan. JC has a substantial role in the upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix but her part is being kept secret. She will also be playing Tammy Wynette with Josh Brolin as George Jones.

 

[Insidious Von]

I wish this lovely lady had been part of the mix.